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Peterborough City and County have proven again and again through the COVID-19 crisis that we are a community that cares about the people and the institutions, businesses, and not-for-profits that call this place home.

We know it hasn’t been an easy five weeks and it’s going to be a while before we return to anything that’s close to what normal was. But we heard this week from the province that the physical distancingmeasures in place are working and we have to keep going.We know that the province has anemergency order in place until May 12th and that if that’s going to signal the start of a phasing-back we have to keep going.

There is a lot of planning going on, with businesses finding new ways to interact with their clients and each other.

Here are a few tips we have picked up through various sources:Stay in Contact

Reach out and check in. Call your clients, customers and suppliers if you have their numbers. A personal touch is extremely important. Ask them how they are doing, both personally and professionally.

Be honest and listen. Be upfront with clients and suppliers about your issues as soon as possible so they can start to deal with the situation. Be ready to hear them out. Your clients will likely have a lot of questions, and it is important to answer them to the best of your ability.

Get your message out there. How can you help?How can people help you?Can you offer gift cards?Have you signed up for the various gift card programs? Are you reaching your customers through different mediums such as radio, television, paper and social channels?

​Keep Planning

Go for a virtual coffee. Is there a business that you’ve always wanted to work with?Reach out and give them a call. Perhaps with another business at your side you can solve a problem that separately seemed insurmountable.

Don’t abandon your goals. Give them a relook and see if any projects that were planned for “down the road” can be moved up and worked on now.

Be creative. Think about your product and service in a new light.Almost a back-to-the-beginning thought process. What would you do differently?Perhaps by reviewing how you got to your current goal you can find a new path forward. Can programs from Community Futures, BDC, or your financial institution get new projects rolling?

Beef up your online presence. How can e-commerce be right for you?Is this an opportunity for your business?Programs like the free Digital Main Street Program offered by DBIA and PKED.

The amount of information on government programs is overwhelming but the Chamber is here to help and pass on your concerns to municipal, provincial, and federal governments.So keep those ideas flowing.